'The Sabres will head to Florida following the contest to play their final two road games of the regular season against Tampa Bay and Florida, and then wrap up the season with home games against the Bruins, Capitals and Flyers, with Buffalo almost definitley playing one of the last two in the first round of the post-season.'

'[Steve] Heinze, who spent his first 30 years living and playing in the greater Boston area, is now with his third team in 10 months. Heinze was claimed from the Bruins by the Columbus Blue Jackets in last June's expansion draft, then shipped to the Sabres at the March 13 trade deadline. At the end of this season he becomes an unrestricted free agent, so another move could come as soon as July.'

'Someday soon, Dominik Hasek will retire and move back to the Czech Republic. But his hockey legacy in Western New York will last a lot longer than that – thanks to a $1 million gift he is making to a new inner-city youth hockey program.'

'Wednesday, the Sabres' goaltender provided $1 million — the largest single donation ever by a Buffalo athlete — to establish his own charitable foundation called Hasek's Heroes. The money will be used to create a hockey and skating program for underprivileged Buffalo youth.'

Maybe it's all the in-bred locals who say “y'uns” and call their shopping carts “buggies,” maybe it's the memories of getting car-sick in Trois Rivieres, Quebec when he was seven or maybe it's just that the movie “Sudden Death” — set in the Igloo — scares the bejesus out of him, but Martin Biron does not like this place.

'Known as a players' coach, he directed the Sabres during the 1995-96 and '96-97 seasons and posted a 73-72-19 record. His tenure there included a constant battle of wills with former general manager John Muckler, who was eventually fired. In his second year, Nolan led the Sabres to a Northeast Division title and reached the second round of the playoffs that spring and later took home the Jack Adams award as NHL coach of the year. That summer, while seeking a long-term contract extension, he refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it one-year offer from new GM Darcy Regier.'

'Penguins right winger Jaromir Jagr had a goal and an assist to tie Colorado center Joe Sakic for the NHL scoring lead with 108 points, but the story of this game was not offense. The Penguins generated plenty of that, but it was their defensive effort that was most striking.'

'In a surprise move, Coach Lindy Ruff elected to start Martin Biron, a bright, young goaltender in his own right, but one seldom confused with one of the most decorated players in NHL history at the position. That marked only his 17th appearance of the season and second in 11 games, and he showed his rust by stopping just 14 of 18 shots.'

'The Sabres' strong play in recent weeks — they are 6-2 in their past eight games — might not net them much of a reward in the postseason. If they finish fourth or fifth in the Eastern Conference, it likely will earn them a matchup against the Flyers, and that doesn't figure to work to their advantage. Buffalo is 0-3 against Philadelphia this season and has been outscored, 8-1.'

'Naysayers will note that Dominik Hasek was not in goal for Buffalo or that the Sabres were playing their second game in as many nights. Those were mere footnotes. Besides, the Penguins played without Alexei Kovalev.'

'Former Penguins forward Stu Barnes is the Sabres' nominee for the Masterton Trophy, which goes to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.'

'The Penguins surprised the Devils by coming out in a left wing lock — a system in which a forward effectively becomes a third defensemen — and followed that by mostly playing a neutral zone trap Tuesday. Pittsburgh? Playing the despised trap?'